When using an automated clustering tool such as Genetic Affairs’ AutoCluster or DNAGedcom’s Collins Leeds Method, the output is in the form of a matrix. Here are some screenshots to help you better understand these clusters in this matrix format.
The Names
In the matrix, the names are listed in the same order from left to right (along the top) as they are from top to bottom (along the left side). Each cell represents the intersection of two people.
The Color Clusters
Like the Leeds Method, color clusters are created showing the people who have a close connection to each other. In this example, we have three clusters: orange, green, and red.
Colored Cells
When two people show up as Shared Matches or In Common With, the cell at the intersection becomes a colored cell. In this example, the cell would become orange, green, or red. For example, Abraham and Betsey A show up as Shared Matches. Kevin Day and Alfred show up as Shared Matches. And Ryne Q and Eileen V show up as Shared Matches.
Dark-Colored Cells
The dark-colored cells form a diagonal line from the upper left to the lower right. This is the midline and these form in cells where a person intersects with themself. The portion of the matrix above and to the right of the midline is a mirror image of the portion and below and to the left of the midline. It might be easiest to look at the gray cells in the upper-right and lower-left corner to see these mirror images.
“White” (or Very Light Gray) Cells
The “white” (or very light gray) cells indicate intersections where two people are NOT Shared Matches. In this example, Abraham and Reese W do NOT show up as Shared Matches. The same is true of George Z and Betsey A and of Virginia R and Alfred. You will have a lot of these white cells outside of the clusters, but you also can have white cells within clusters as in the example of George Z and Betsey A.
Gray Cells
Gray cells are incredibly important. These appear at intersections where one person was clustered into one color, but the other person was clustered into another color. And yet the two people show up as Shared Matches. In this example, Abraham sorted into the orange cluster, but Eileen V sorted into the green cluster. However, they show up as Shared Matches to each other and are likely related.
Significant Gray Cells Between Clusters
When you have significant gray cells between clusters, that represents a probable connection between those clusters. In this example, there are a lot of gray cells between the brown, pink, and dark gray clusters. People who sorted into the brown cluster, for instance, had Shared Matches with people who sorted into the pink and dark gray clusters. This shows a likely connection between all three of these clusters. These three clusters are probably from the same section of your family tree.
Questions?
I appreciate a reader asking me to explain these cluster matrices, and I hope this helps many of you. If you have any questions about the matrix format or anything to do with clustering, please ask!
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